What NBA Draft picks do the Minnesota Timberwolves own this year?

The NBA Draft lottery is right around the corner, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot at stake. Since they finished among the seven worst teams in the Western Conference this year, the Timberwolves are one of 14 lottery teams, and hold the 6th best odds at earning the first overall pick this year.

Last season, the Timberwolves finished as the third-worst team in the NBA, and jumped to the first overall pick in the lottery – ahead of the Warriors and Cavaliers (who went on to pick 2nd and 5th respectively).

This year is different, though, because if the Timberwolves do not finish within the top-3 picks in the lottery – they will lose their draft pick to the Golden State Warriors as a part of the D’Angelo Russell trade that happened before the 2020 trade deadline.

In that same trade, the Timberwolves moved their 2nd-round pick to Golden State (who then traded it to Oklahoma City for Kelly Oubre) – which is going to be 36th overall.

That means, unless they acquire a pick via trade, the Minnesota Timberwolves are not going to have a draft pick unless they finish among the top-3 in the lottery – something that only has a 27.6-percent of happening.

Since 2019, the NBA has had a flattened lottery system – one that is supposed to de-incentivize ‘tanking’ – something that has become more common over the past few years. During the final few weeks of the 2020-21 NBA season, the Timberwolves went on a winning streak that saw them go from the first-best odds in the lottery to sixth – yet the difference in the odds at the Timberwolves retaining their pick only dropped 12-percent (from 40 to ~28).

"With that said, here is the full list of picks that the Timberwolves have:2021 first-round pick (ONLY if it finishes 1-3 in draft lottery)"

That’s it. That’s the list.

There is one saving grace, though, as it looks like European standout Leandro Bolmaro is coming over to join Minnesota next season – and that itself could seem like a draft pick in 2021 – despite him being selected with a first-round pick in 2020. Additionally, it would not be surprising in the slightest to see general manager Gersson Rosas make a trade for a late-first round pick (or a second rounder).